


Avenger 2.0, The Cream Puff Variation

by sg_wonderland



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s07e09 Avenger 2.0, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26340421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sg_wonderland/pseuds/sg_wonderland
Summary: Sam and Daniel discuss science, Human Resources and cream puffs - trust me, it will all make sense in the end.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	Avenger 2.0, The Cream Puff Variation

Avenger 2.0

“I messed up,” Sam declared as she plopped the bakery box on Daniel's desk before heading for his coffeemaker.

Daniel peeked inside the box. “Wow, you must have really screwed up if we're having cream puffs.”

She handed him a fresh cup of coffee and a stack of napkins. “I might have to fire Felger.” She sighed.

“Sam, I told you I'm fine. A hot shower, a good night's sleep and here I am.”

Sam sighed again, deciding not to mention the dark circles under his eyes. “Well, the colonel dragged me over the coals but good.”

“Sam, that was hardly your fault.”

“Do you know how to make cream puffs?” she asked as he licked his thumb.

His eyebrows shot up. “You do know who you're talking to, right?”

She laughed. “We moved around a lot and I was always the new girl. So when I was fourteen or fifteen, I decided to not be the girl who knew all the math answers or the one who argued with the science teachers. I didn't make friends easily.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Oh, come on, Daniel, you make friends all over the place.” His eyebrows rose again. “We walk onto a new planet and you're chatting with people and they're telling you about their culture and why they bake bread this way or what's the meaning of their art.”

“That's learned behavior, I taught myself to do that. Trust me, I was as much of an outcast as you were.” She just stared at him. “I was fourteen years old when I hit UCLA. My hormones were just getting rolling and I was suddenly surrounded by all these beautiful California girls with long blonde hair and tans that seemed...endless. They weren't interested in me in any way, they just ruffled my hair and told me how cute I was.”

“Were you?”

“I was adorable but that is not an adjective to which fourteen year old boys strive.  
And I thought we were talking about you.”

“So I decided to take home economics and I learned how to make eclairs and cream puffs. They both start out with choux pastry. The thing is, when you make choux, it starts out looking terrible and you think you've messed it up. But if you keep working it, then it turns out exactly how it's supposed to.”

“Not that I don't appreciate the cream puffs because, believe me, I do. But I don't get the point.”

“Felger. He was terrible at first but he had all the right ingredients so I thought if I worked with him, he'd eventually turn out okay.” Daniel choked on his coffee. “What?”

“Sam, you can't bake a...scientist. Everything is not science.”

“Baking is. Exact measurement, proper containment, temperature control, finite time applied.”

“Okay, I will give you that. But part of Felger's problem is that he thinks he's in love with you. Poor guy.” Daniel added with a wicked grin.

“What kind of crack is that?” Sam huffed, breaking off a piece of pastry.

“Sam, he's completely all wrong for you. The last thing you need is a guy who'll give in to you every time. I mean, how boring would that be. You need someone who'll stand up to you,” Daniel grinned again. “Kinda like Rodney.”

“I will kill you and disintegrate the body and they'll never know what happened to you.” Sam promised. “The colonel thinks I should fire him.”

“Can you?”

“Well, I can advise Dr. Kellington, as department head, that's his decision.”

“But your recommendation would carry a lot of weight.”

“I don't think Dr. Kellington would keep him if I insisted.”

“Suspend him for two weeks,” Daniel suggested. “That should get his attention. Tell him you're putting a letter of censure in his file and see if he improves.”

“I could give him a specific list of what he did wrong and ask him to come up with scenarios where he could have done something differently; appeal to the scientist in him.” She mused. “The colonel thinks I should fire him. Like yesterday.”

“Jack would like to shoot him but he can't do that. Look, take the weekend and make a list of his good qualities, if you can find any. And then the negatives. Discuss it with Dr. Kellington and come to some sort of agreement.”

“Is that what you do?” She asked curiously.

“Tishie takes my advice but she's still department head. I don't think she'd keep someone if I really thought they should go. Luckily, that's never happened. We have had to discipline a couple of people but that's usually all it takes. Word gets around what you will, and won't, put up with.”

“This isn't exactly what we signed up for, was it?” She licked her thumb absently.

“Yet, here we are, eating cream puffs and doing HR's job.”

“Imagine my surprise,” boomed a voice from the door. “When I called Daniel, who wasn't at home like he was supposed to be. And then I found out he had signed in, on a day, when he was specifically supposed to be off.”

“Jack,”Daniel said brightly. “I just came in to file my mission report and check in with Janet. And then Sam came in and we started talking...”

“And Carter, why are you here? Wasn't that downtime for all of SG-1?”

“I needed to talk to Daniel and I wanted to make sure the gate was working as expected. Daniel,” she slipped out of her chair. “thanks for the advice. Sir.”

She headed for her lab to search the Web for a recipe for choux pastry.


End file.
